Strong interest remains in using traditional full-coat, and one- and two-coat veneer plaster wall and ceiling systems. The primary reasons are as practical and straightforward as the materials themselves: abuse resistance, strong acoustical properties, aesthetics and durability. And while no one will go as far as to call plaster a revolutionary material, it can certainly be beautiful and lasting. After all, remnants of plaster can be found in the pyramids of Egypt.
Recently, I participated in a certification seminar in Chicago on exterior insulation finish systems. This seminar was developed by the Association of the Walls and Ceilings Industry to provide education for plastering mechanics, industry professionals and inspectors. Having gone into this adventure thinking I could probably teach the course, frankly I was surprised at the intensity of the two-day instruction that was capped by a 135-question test, with a mandatory passing rate of 86 percent.
What are the best things to do at your company to produce maximum positive effect with the least possible effort on your part? From my own experience and from paying attention to others', here's my Top Ten list ...
There is much information available about field-applied EIFS, in part since it is the most predominant method of application. For more than 20 years, one manufacturer of prefabricated EIFS panels has been consistently ahead of the curve in using innovations in their EIFS panels to ensure quality. Jersey Panel has manufactured panelized EIFS for many of Atlantic City's most well known casinos and resorts, including the Tropicana Hotel and Casino.
Every once in a while, I like to take a look back over the projects I've done over the past year. Usually, one or two of them stand out as noteworthy, and this month's column is a review of one that I think you can profit from.
In part two, we reviewed the new products offered via the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design green building rating/certification program. In part one, we saw how a statement made by USGBC President/CEO Rick Fredrizzi ("If it's not LEED, it's not green") at the November 2004 Greenbuild Conference held in Portland, Ore., caused quite a lot of controversy. Also, we saw how two reports and a user survey gave the LEED program its first "report card" after five years of implementation. This time, we'll conclude our review with a look at the international scene for LEED and a recent USGBC decision that will affect the walls and ceilings industry directly.
How do you view the world? How do you view the people you work with each day? Do you believe people are in control of their own destinies? Are people good or bad? Can you trust your customers and employees? People are in my opinion the biggest variable we deal with each day. For some of us, it's impossible to trust because of our worldview.
Gypsum board is now such a commonly used building material that it's difficult to imagine a construction project that doesn't use it somewhere. Most residential interior walls and ceilings are composed of framing and gypsum board; a very large portion of commercial interior walls use gypsum board; gypsum sheathing is frequently used in exterior construction; and area separation walls in townhouses and shafts for elevators and stairwells frequently are built using gypsum shaft liner board.
For generations, clients have pressed designers and contractors to deliver buildings that will last for decades at the cheapest price. Without apologies, clients will admit this is due mostly to protecting their financial assets.
There are times, as a project is coming to completion, that a walk-through causes your stomach to compete for a place on the U.S. Olympic Acrobatic Team. Maybe the project is completed and three years later a phone call invites you to walk through the project and explain what you are going to do to correct the problems. When these negative issues develop, most personnel are looking to blame someone. Third-party inspectors are hired. Engineers look over the job and take samples and measurements. Contractors imagine that behind closed doors lawyers are grinning and rubbing their hands together in anticipation of healthy profits.
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